From Ellen, in Austin, Texas:
This is our pantry as it really is. No cleanup before picture-time. I have three children and my spouse and I work full-time. The "pantry" doesn't look all that bad in a picture, but sure seems cluttered and difficult to live with in real life. We live in a 1950s ranch house with a REALLY small kitchen. That is why we have so many storage areas.
Hope this makes you feel better about your pantry..... I hope we will be sending AFTER cleanup pictures soon!
On Saturdays, we peek into Other People's Pantries.
Come on -- show us your pantry.
Seems very organized! And very well stocked. Does that mean we can look for a replay when you do over. . . before and afters are always great.
Posted by: MyKitchenInHalfCups | July 19, 2008 at 02:16 AM
Ellen -- It looks well stocked. You really have a lot of food in that pantry -- Do you use it quickly? Or do some of those cans stay there a long time? To me that question is more important than neatness.
Posted by: mae | July 19, 2008 at 07:54 AM
I hear you on the tiny kitchen issue! Looking forward to the after photos!
Posted by: Ann | July 19, 2008 at 08:17 AM
Your pantry is just fine the way it is, IMO. I'm a real ingredient whore and nothing makes me feel more confident and "rich" than knowing I have a variety of "stuff" to feed us!!! I've learned to rotate my stock and nothing is ever spoiled. Lots of familiar labels in there, too, including HEB! (I'm in San Antonio.) BTW, those 2lit bottles are a beach to store neatly, aren't they? I wish I could put them in the garage, out of the way, but in this heat...
Posted by: Pilar | July 20, 2008 at 08:52 AM
Ellen that's one well stocked pantry. Looks great :)
Posted by: George@CulinaryTravels | July 20, 2008 at 10:56 AM
so how do you become a food critic!?! i love it!!
Posted by: delicious chronicles!! | July 24, 2008 at 01:32 AM
Thanks for the comments! We do use the canned goods fairly quickly. The kids have friends over - think groups - often and we cook for them. Sometimes their parents come, too! LOL! I only shop once every 2 weeks, so I do stock up on things. I also go through things every couple of months to make sure that things are getting used. I'm fairly frugal; if things go on sale, I am likely to purchase a case of something and use it for several weeks. Thanks for your feedback, Ann. Nice to see a fellow Texan. :)
Hopefully, there will be an after session soon. I have had time to go through my spices and the shelves about them as well as the other shelves with doors, you know, the ones with several cans of Pam, Bakers Joy, etc. I got that down to just 2 cans!
Posted by: Ellen | August 03, 2008 at 12:45 AM